Personal Food Delivery Apparatus and Method

ABSTRACT

A personal food delivery apparatus and method includes a utensil with a handle end and a food end where the food end is a flat surface. A food retaining device is connected with the food end where the food retaining device retains food on the food retaining device.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a continuation of U.S. application Ser. No. 13/694,237, filed on Nov. 9, 2012, which application is incorporated herein by reference in its entirety.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This invention relates to a personal food delivery apparatus and method. In particular, in accordance with one embodiment, the invention relates to a personal food delivery apparatus including a utensil with a handle end and a food end where the food end is a flat surface. A food retaining device is connected with the food end where the food retaining device retains food on the food retaining device.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

A problem exists with regard to the use of utensils for the delivery of food for personal consumption. In particular, for example only and not by way of limitation, infants transitioning from food in bottles, for example, to solid foods initially do not have the fine motor skills to handle spoons and forks. The prior art is replete with bent spoons and forks that are designed to enable an infant to grasp the utensil. While they are of some value in that regard, they do nothing to address the problem of actually getting the food into the baby's/infant's mouth. Again, the problem Applicant has identified is that babies and infants may be able to grasp a utensil but they do not have the skill to transfer the utensil with food into their mouth. Thus, prior art curved utensils are typically as large as, or nearly as large as normal utensils, since it is understood that at least for some period of time the parent/adult will use the utensil to feed the infant.

Further, the prior art does not describe or suggest a solution to the problem of food slipping off or spilling out of utensils as the food is transferred to the user's mouth. That is, prior art spoons, forks and knives include smooth surfaces. Most problematical are spoons with concave surfaces that require a user to balance the food within the spoon. Until and unless the user has the motor skills to properly use them, food will slip off of or spill out of the prior art smooth surfaced utensils.

Thus, there is a need in the art for a personal food delivery utensil that enables individuals with minimum fine motor skills, babies, infants, accident victims, and the like, for example only, to feed themselves without the assistance of others. It therefore is an object of this invention to provide a personal food delivery utensil that includes a handle and a food retaining device. The entire utensil may be of a normal form but a smaller size suitable for an infant and smaller than normal adult utensils. Further, the food retaining device enables the user to simply insert the utensil into food and the food retaining device holds the food in place as it is transferred to the user's mouth. This eliminates the need to maintain the utensil in a proper plane so as to avoid the food slipping off or spilling out of the utensil.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the personal food delivery apparatus of the present invention, according to one embodiment, includes a utensil with a handle end and a food end where the food end is a flat surface. A food retaining device is connected with the food end where the food retaining device retains food on the food retaining device.

All terms used herein are given their normal ordinary meaning. Thus, “utensil” describes a device for use in the consumption of foods, such as a spoon, knife and fork or a combination thereof or any other utensil device now known or hereafter developed. “Food” includes solid and semi-solid foods such as pureed foods, spaghetti, mashed potatoes, and the like, for example only. “Food retaining device” describes a device to which food, as described above, attaches. The attachment is accomplished by the provision of a retaining device onto or into which the food connects, all as will be more fully described hereafter.

In one aspect, the handle is conformed in size to be held by infants. By this it is meant that the handle is proportional to the size of the infant's hand. In another aspect, the utensil is approximately four inches long including the handle end and the food end.

In one aspect, the food retaining device consists of a number of depressions extending into the food end non-curved, flat surface. In another aspect, the food retaining device is at least one hole extending though the food end non-curved, flat surface from side to side. In a further aspect of this embodiment, the hole is conformed to create arms in the food end, where the arms extend into the hole.

In another aspect, the food retaining device is a projection extending from the non-curved, flat surface. In one aspect of this invention, the projection consists of a number of raised, rounded elements. In another aspect, the projection consists of at least one raised ridge element. In a further aspect, the food retaining device is on both sides of the non-curved, flat surface of the food end.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a personal food delivery apparatus consists of a utensil with a handle end, where the handle is conformed in size to be held by infants, and a food end where the food end is non-curved, flat surface. A food retaining device is connected with the food end where the food retaining device retains food on the food retaining device where the food retaining device is selected from a group of devices consisting of: a number of depressions in the non-curved, flat surface and at least one projection from the non-curved, flat surface.

In another aspect, the number of depressions further includes at least one depression that creates a hole extending though the food end non-curved, flat surface from side to side. In one aspect, the hole is conformed to create arms in the food end, where the arms extend into the hole. In another aspect, the projection consists of a number of raised, rounded elements. In one aspect, the projection consists of at least one raised ridge element. In another aspect, the food retaining device is on both sides of the non-curved, flat surface of the food end.

According to another embodiment of the invention, a personal food delivery method consists of:

-   -   a. providing a utensil with a handle end and a food end where         the food end is non-curved, flat surface; a food retaining         device connected with the food end where the food retaining         device retains food on the food retaining device; and     -   b. inserting the food end in food.

In another aspect, the food retaining device is selected from a group of devices consisting of: a number of depressions in the non-curved, flat surface and at least one projection from the non-curved, flat surface. In another aspect, the number of depressions further includes least one depression that creates a hole extending though the food end non-curved, flat surface from side to side. In one aspect, the food retaining device is on both sides of the non-curved, flat surface of the food end.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

Other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more fully apparent from the following detailed description of the preferred embodiment, the appended claims and the accompanying drawings in which:

FIG. 1 is a front view of the personal food delivery apparatus according to a preferred embodiment illustrating food retaining projections in the form of raised rounded elements in the food end;

FIG. 2 is a is a front view of the invention of FIG. 1 with food retaining holes through the flat surface of the food end;

FIG. 3 is a front view of the invention of FIG. 1 with raised ridges; and

FIG. 4 is a side view of the invention of FIG. 1 with a number of depressions on both sides of the food end.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The preferred embodiment of the present invention is illustrated by way of example in FIGS. 1-4 . With specific reference to FIG. 1 , according to a preferred embodiment, a personal food delivery apparatus 10 includes a utensil 12. In the figures, utensil 12 most closely resembles a common spoon but, preferably, utensil 12 is approximately four inches long. Thus, it is in a familiar shape, except as more fully described hereafter, but it is smaller than normal for use by infants, for example only. Obviously, any size of utensil 12 that is deemed useful is included in the scope of the invention. Further, utensil 12 may be in the form of a fork, a knife or any other common form as deemed useful so long at they include the required elements of the invention as more particularly described.

Utensil 12 includes a handle end 14 and a food end 16. Handle end 14 is elongated and in any useful form for ease of holding. Handle end 14 blends into food end 16, preferably seamlessly, as shown. Food end 16 is distinguished from handle end 14 in that it includes an extended flat surface 18 as shown and as more clearly understood with reference to FIG. 4 . Flat surface 18 in the figures includes a peripheral shape more or less like that of a common spoon. However, flat surface 18 does not include a concave receptacle for holding food as with a common spoon. Instead, the flat surface 18 of food end 16 includes a food retaining device 20. FIG. 1 shows food retaining device 20 in the form of a number of raised, rounded elements 22. In use, Applicant has determined that raised, rounded elements 22 are unexpectedly efficient and effective in picking up and holding soft solid food such as mashed potatoes. It is also unexpectedly efficient in retaining food such as spaghetti, for example only.

Referring to FIG. 2 , the same numbers used in FIG. 1 identify the same elements of this and the other figures as well. In this embodiment, however, food retaining device 20 is in the form of a hole 24. Hole 24 passes completely though flat surface 18 of the food end 16. Hole 24 can be in any useful form. Applicant has determined, however, that one particularly effective form is as illustrated. In this shape, hole 24 creates arms 26 that extend from the interior edge 28 of food end 16. Here again, Applicant has determined that arms 26 which create a shaped hole 24, or vice versa, provides a surprisingly effective food entrapment system for a wide variety of foods. Even such foods as peas, rice and beans are easily transported by infants as they are trapped in the hole 24 by the arms 26, for example only.

Referring now to FIG. 3 , in this embodiment, food retaining device 20 is in the form of raised ridges 30. Three raised ridges 30 are shown in the figure but, of course, more or fewer ridges may be formed in the flat surface 18 of food end 16. Raised ridges 30 may be separate from one another as shown or connected if deemed useful. In any presentation, the raised ridges 30 have been found to be entirely satisfactory in providing a place for food to be gripped by utensil 12.

Referring now to FIG. 4 , the side view of the personal food delivery apparatus 10 shows both flat surfaces 18 of the two sides of food end 16. In this embodiment, food retaining device 20 consists of a number of depressions 32. The figure also illustrates a feature of the invention where the food retaining device 20 is incorporated into both sides, 34 and 36, of food end 16. This structure has been found to be particularly effective in trapping food.

In use, an infant, for example only, grasps handle end 14 in a normal form. This acclimates the infant to the look and feel of actual utensils but, again, utensil 12 is preferably sized appropriately for the infant. Thereafter, the infant merely has to introduce the food end 16 into food (not shown). Food retaining device 20 enables utensil 12 to pick up the food. The infant then moves the personal food delivery apparatus 10 to his or her mouth without having to hold utensil 12 in any particular attitude. It is at this time, the transfer of food to the mouth, that prior art devices fail for those lacking the fine motor skills to properly move them without dropping the food from the utensil. Instead, in Applicant's invention, food is held in place on the utensil 12 by food retaining device 20. Certainly some amount of food will adhere to even the normal spoon, knife or fork but they are designed for maximum effective use to be operated in a required manner in order to deliver adequate amounts of food each time. This is a requirement infants, for example, cannot meet. Use of Applicant's personal food delivery apparatus 10, however, ensures that adequate amounts of food are delivered while at the same time allowing a baby to participate in self-feeding earlier with less mess. The psychological benefits or early development of self-feeding skill with a normally shaped utensil Applicant believes to be significant.

The description of the present embodiments of the invention has been presented for purposes of illustration, but is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit the invention to the form disclosed. Many modifications and variations will be apparent to those of ordinary skill in the art. As such, while the present invention has been disclosed in connection with an embodiment thereof, it should be understood that other embodiments may fall within the spirit and scope of the invention as defined by the following claims. 

1-20. (canceled)
 21. A food entrapment feeding utensil, comprising: an elongate handle end; and a food retaining device extending from the elongate handle end, wherein the food retaining device is structured to define a food retaining surface that is circumscribed by a rounded external edge, wherein the rounded external edge is structured to be comfortably received into a mouth of a person, wherein the food retaining device defines opposing food retaining surfaces each circumscribed by the rounded external edge, and wherein the opposing food retaining surfaces define one or more food retaining elements.
 22. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 21, wherein the rounded external edge defines a non-concave surface of the food retaining surface proximate the one or more food retaining elements.
 23. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 21, further comprising a plurality of non-concave surfaces surrounding or encapsulating the one or more food retaining elements.
 24. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 21, wherein only the rounded external edge is visible from a side profile perspective of the food retaining device.
 25. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 21, wherein one or more opposing food retaining elements of a first food retaining surface of the opposing food retaining surfaces is offset relative to one or more opposing food retaining elements of a second food retaining surface of the opposing food retaining surfaces.
 26. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 25, and wherein the one or more food retaining elements is a hole defined between the opposing food retaining surfaces.
 27. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 21, wherein the one or more food retaining elements embody one or more holes defined by the food retaining surface.
 28. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 27, wherein the one or more holes include one or more interior extending arms defined by the food retaining surface.
 29. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 21, wherein the one or more food retaining elements embody one or more depressions defined by the food retaining surface.
 30. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 21, wherein the one or more food retaining elements embody one or more holes and one or more depressions defined by the food retaining surface.
 31. The food entrapment feeding utensil of claim 21, wherein the one or more food retaining elements embody one or more projections defined by the food retaining surface. 